Mbatia throws weight behind alliance

Dar es Salaam. NCCR-Mageuzi chairman James Mbatia said yesterday he supported the idea of forming an opposition coalition ahead of civic and general elections, calling it “rationally indispensable.”

He warned, however, that it must be built on a solid foundation of genuine trust among its members.

He was briefing journalists on the newly-appointed party leaders elected during the just-concluded party conference. Mr Mbatia was re-elected the party’s national chairperson. Others elected include deputy chairpersons for Zanzibar and Tanzania Mainland as well as the party’s central committee members.

“Anyone who is against the idea of unity is not only against one’s future but also that of his/her colleagues. Forming a coalition is very fundamental,” said Mr Mbatia who doubles as the chairperson of Tanzania Centre for Democracy (TCD).

Formed in 2005 by political parties with parliamentary representation, TCD serves as a platform for parliamentary parties to cooperate in strengthening multiparty democracy as well as democratic development in the country.

“But we need to trust each other. We need to be genuinely committed to the cause. It doesn’t make any sense having a cynical coalition where every member pushes things in favour of his own interests.”

Mr Mbatia’s statement comes as both politicians and political analysts seem to have agreed that time has come for the opposition to go beyond individual party interests if it is to make any difference in civic elections slated for October.

ACT-Wazalendo leader Zitto Kabwe has been constantly championing the formation of what he calls the United Democratic Front – an amalgam of political parties, civil organisations, trade unions and independent citizens.

Mr Kabwe thinks that only through such a coalition can the opposition pose a serious challenge to the ruling CCM. Chadema secretary-general Dr Vincent Mashinji also told The Citizen earlier this year that the coalition is critical but needed to the coalition of the people and not leaders.

His party has in recent months been seen working with other opposition parties – including NCCR-Mageuzi – in things like advocating against police interference in political activities or protesting the enactment of laws that they think strangle the political liberties of citizens. It is these joint efforts that led to the birth of the Zanzibar Declaration, a 2018-document signed by six opposition parties expressing their determination to “work together” to “restore democracy.”

Mr Mbatia said that there is a need to cultivate the culture of trust among the opposition parties, calling it the key to any successful project of building a working representative democracy in the country. He added: “We need to have educational programmes aimed at building this culture of trust among our people. There needs to be a political will to make our politics clean and capable of improving the welfare of our people.”